40 Years

Looking Back, Moving Forward

There aren’t many hospitals in the United States whose history began in quite the same way as Eisenhower Medical Center. At the hospital’s dedication in 1971, a cadre of dignitaries, including President Richard M. Nixon and former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower celebrated what would become the Valley’s only not-for-profit hospital.

In December 1971, Eisenhower Medical Center welcomed its first patient with a hospital staff of just 225 employees and 20 physicians.

During the past 40 years, Eisenhower Medical Center has continued to achieve the highest standards in patient care excellence and has experienced tremendous growth. Increasing in size from a one-building hospital to a major health system, Eisenhower Medical Center now includes clinics throughout the Valley and will soon boast a residency program for primary care physicians.

Ambassador and Leonore Annenberg, whose generosity was unparalleled, left an indelible mark on Eisenhower Medical Center. Dedicated in 1981, the Annenberg Center for Health Sciences at Eisenhower is now the headquarters of Eisenhower’s new School of Graduate Medical Education. In 2007, the Annenberg’s generous $100 million donation helped complete what would become the most seismically sound, state-of-the-art inpatient pavilion in California — the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Pavilion, which opened in 2010.

Other living monuments include the Uihlein Building, Eisenhower Lucy Curci Cancer Center, Arnold Palmer Prostate Center, Renker Pavilion, Tennity Emergency Department, the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center and the Betty Ford Center. Throughout Eisenhower’s extraordinary transformation, the organization’s commitment to its community — the community that has so generously supported Eisenhower for 40 years — has remained steadfast, expanding to meet the needs of the Valley.

The following photos provide an historical glimpse into the storied journey of Eisenhower Medical Center.

Eisenhower george and Julia Argyros Health Center in La Quinta Eisenhower Medical Center’s growth across
the Valley includes the Eisenhower George
and Julia Argyros Health Center in La Quinta
and Eisenhower Health Centers at Sunrise and
Rimrock in Palm Springs.

Completed Annenberg Pavilion The Walter and Leonore Annenberg Pavilion
began accepting patients in November 2010.

Annenberg pavilion Groundbreaking Left to right: Senator John Danforth, G. Aubrey
Serfling, the late Mrs. Annenberg, Chairman
Emeritus Harry M. Goldstein, former Secretary
of State George Schultz and Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger gather in 2007.

It began with a Vision
In 1967, Edward Durrell
Stone, considered “the
most versatile designer of
his generation” by Time
magazine, was named
architect for the new
hospital. Left to right: Edward
Durrell Stone, Dolores Hope
and President Dwight D.
Eisenhower.

1969 Groundbreaking
Beginning with their
generous donation of 80 acres
to build the new hospital, Bob
and Dolores Hope were an
integral part of Eisenhower
Medical Center’s growth. Left
to right: Governor Ronald
Reagan, Dolores Hope, Edgar
Eisenhower and Bob Hope

Tennity Emergency Department dedication The new Tennity Emergency Department, designed to meet
state-mandated seismic safety standards, was dedicated in
2008. Left to right: G. Aubrey Serfling, President and Chief
Executive Officer, the late Marilyn Tennity and Michael
Landes, President, Foundation. Below, the interior of the
new Tennity Emergency Department.

DEDICATION DINNER
In November 1971, the 138-bed Eisenhower Memorial
Hospital was dedicated before 2,500 invited guests. Later
that evening, a celebration was held in the lobby of
the new hospital.